Evolving Traditions of The Buddhist Image House. Part 1: Understanding Two Centuries of Art and Architecture in Sri Lanka
Beginning with images from Buddhist temples of Sri Lanka, this book takes the reader through a visual journey from the times of the last kings of Kandy to the early years of independence. The images of murals, statues, architecture, interior design and calligraphy are placed in the context of social and political changes taking place in a small island that was totally dominated by colonial powers in the 19thcentury, later to be liberated from Western influence in 1948.
This study of Buddhist Image Houses is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Senake Bandaranayake, Sri Lanka's greatest art historian and archaeologist in recent times. The brown leather bound book he holds poses the biggest problem. It seems to be a kind of diary, because the Roman script indicates that it is a Denapota, a diary. The correct pronunciation in Sinhala that would be Dinapotha is written using the Dēvanagarī script. The spine too written in Dēvanagarī too. It can be read as “me potha” translated from Sinhala to English as “this book” bearing the date 1827.
How Sri Lankan culture oscillates between the Western and Indian concepts is a key theme of this book.
This publication includes a study conducted by Professor Asoka de Zoysa on the iconography in the history of art and sculpture with a special emphasis on the Southern Province, research conducted by Dr. Nalinda Jayathilake on the changes in artistic styles and tastes from the Kandyan Period to the Colonial Period and a study conducted by Ganga Rajini Disanayake on the Kandyan Period and Post Kandyan Art.
Advancing from the Anuradhapura Period, Buddhist art evolved with art, sculpture and engravings due to several reasons including sociopolitical aspects. This publication is a result of a study conducted during the course of three years, investigating and reviewing nearly 300 temples and other religious buildings identifying various hidden artists, masons, engravers and carpenters and studying their artistic traditions.
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Bibliographic information
Vajira Nalinda Jayathilaka
Ganga Rajinee Dissanayaka